Tag Archives: Military

New Superintendent Named for US Air Force Academy

MajGen Michelle Johnson has been nominated for a third star and for the position of Superintendent, US Air Force Academy.  As every press release so far has noted, when she is confirmed by the Senate she will be the first female to occupy that position.

Johnson is a 1981 distinguished graduate from the Academy where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in operations research. She was the first female cadet wing commander and the first female Rhodes Scholar from the Academy.

The USAFA Class of 1981 was the second to include women, after President Ford’s 1976 integration order.

Like LtGen Mike Gould, whom she will replace, MajGen Johnson is a career cargo/transport pilot.

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Tom Griffin, Doolittle Raider, Dies

B-25 navigator Maj Thomas Griffin died in a VA nursing home last week.  While most such deaths would be noted by surviving family members, Griffin’s was noted by how many Doolittle Raiders he leaves behind:  only 4.

As noted previously (and clarified by Doolittle Raider Association manager Tom Casey), the final public Doolittle reunion will be this year.  The remaining Raiders will gather at another location privately and open the bottle of cognac reserved for the final survivors.

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Sergeants Major Become US Army Chaplains

An official Army article documents the unique stories of Chaplain (Maj) James Freitag and Chaplain (1Lt) Cecil Edwards — two men who rose to high enlisted ranks before being commissioned as chaplains:

With a combined total of 60 years of service, two former reserve component sergeants major are currently serving as chaplains and both are deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Of the soldiers who enlist in the Army, very few reach the rank of sergeant major. In the history of the Army only two sergeants major have become chaplains.

It has long been said that, in general, former enlisted troops can Read more

Brazilian Super Tucano Wins US Air Force Contract

The US Air Force announced Sierra Nevada Corp, in alliance with Brazil’s Embraer, has won the contract to provide the Afghan Air Force with a light attack aircraft.  The contract has a very specific dollar figure:

The firm-fixed-price contract is worth $427,459,708…Work will be completed by Feb. 26, 2019, and the first delivery order is expected to be complete by April 2015.

The Super Tucano was competing only with Hawker Beechcraft’s AT-6.  The aircraft for this contract will reportedly be built in Florida.

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Trial Date Set for Accused Fort Hood Shooter

The court-martial of US Army Maj Nidal Malik Hasan, accused in the 2009 Fort Hood massacre that killed 14 people, is scheduled to begin July 1st.  (Jury selection begins in May.)

The judge, Col. Tara Osborn, said she expects testimony in the trial to last up to three months. The government has nearly 300 witnesses.

Three months is nothing, given the fact the pre-trial has lasted nearly four years.

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Military Atheist Petition Breaks 20,000 Signatures

It took about 16 months, but a WhiteHouse.gov petition by MRFF activist Dustin Chalker finally crossed 20,000 signatures.

As discussed previously, the petition — “End the Military’s Discrimination against Non-Religious Service Members” — claims the US military forces troops to participate in “religious rituals.”  As you may recall, Chalker is the same person who made the ridiculous assertion that being present — just respectfully standing silent — while others pray is the same thing as participating in that prayer.

Under current rules, a survey has to Read more

Homosexual Army Soldier Campaigns for Marriage Inequality

US Army Reservist Major Stephen Snyder-Hill made waves when he “came out” to the world by asking the Republican Presidential candidates if they would work to “circumvent the progress” of the repeal of DADT.  His question was booed by some in the audience.  Now, Snyder is co-chairing a political “steering committee” to change the status of marriage in Ohio:

Leaders of pro-gay-marriage group FreedomOhio said Friday that Columbus resident Stephen Snyder-Hill will help lead outreach efforts…FreedomOhio wants to overturn the 2004 state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

Snyder’s position is notable because he is constantly referred to as the “gay soldier” and by his military rank and branch of service — while he simultaneously advocates for a political cause.  DoDD 1344.10, which governs the political activities Read more

Answering Michael Weinstein: Why It Matters

An advocate of Michael Weinstein’s MRFF recently said [emphasis added]:

Consider the fact…General Mark A. Welsh III, Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, responded personally and immediately to Mikey Weinstein.

If the issue were not legitimate…I rather doubt General Walsh [sic] would have bothered. Of course, that’s why he’s a general…

Rightly or wrongly, when Michael Weinstein is given special access to military leaders, it appears to grant credibility to his cause.

Treat him like everybody else — the “little people” who are forced to use normal channels — and Weinstein loses his ability to grandstand, and with it, the wind from his sails.  He doesn’t have the patience for such treatment, and he sulks away.

Just ask USAFA.

Actually, it looks like somebody did…

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